Stating that solving the problem of energy access is very important, India on Wednesday said that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) can enable energy access for 800 million people, who lack energy access, worldwide.
“The International Solar Alliance was founded to bring the global community together, synergise our efforts and leverage our complementarities to overcome such barriers. The ISA can play primary role in providing energy access to all,” Power Minister R.K. Singh said in the opening address of the inaugural of the fourth assembly of the ISA virtually, attended by more than 100 countries, according to an official statement.
Singh, also the President of the ISA, reiterated how India has the target to reach 450 GW of Renewable Energy (RE) by 2030 and how it already has 154 GW of installed non-fossil generation capacity and another 67 GW is under construction. “India’s non-fossil fuel based capacity is on-track to surpass the 40 per cent target under the India’s NDC.”
NDC is the national action plan to contribute in the global combat against climate change to restrict the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial era.
Initiated by India, the ISA is an alliance of 124 countries, most of which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, with the primary objective to work for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
This was an ambitious initiative proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with its global headquarters in India.
US President’s Special Climate Envoy John Kerry said: “With 1,000 GW of installed capacity, solar will play the biggest role in a carbon-free electric power sector by 2035. But it’s not enough for the US to invest in solar; nearly 90 per cent of GHG emissions are from outside the US and that’s why ISA is so critical.”
“We must take dramatic action during this decade to cut emissions by half worldwide. IPCC & IEA have made it clear that if we don’t do enough between 2020 and 2030, we can’t achieve net zero by 2050 and limit the rise of the earth’s temperature by 1.50,” he said.
Kerry also expressed support for India’s goal of reaching 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030, saying: “We believe that it’s absolutely doable and will be done. India has already set an example for emerging economies by reaching 100GW of renewables.”
He also called India, “a red-hot investment destination for solar power”.
European Commission Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans announced the imminent launch of a project, worth around 1 million Euro, funded by the EU, aimed at further strengthening the engagement of EU, EU Member States, & EU academic, business and financial communities with the International Solar Alliance, the release added.
